Mr Elias said Geldard, who has no previous convictions, had a “fabulous service record” and the incident was “entirely out of character”.

He told the court that Geldard has been in the Army for around 11 years, serving in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, and is currently a lance corporal in the 1st Battalion of the Parachute Regiment.

Mr Elias said: “He was going through a very difficult divorce and a very difficult set of domestic circumstances.

“He appears today full of remorse and regret for what he has done. It was his birthday yesterday (January 20). Unfortunately on the 19th his father took his own life.

“He wants to know where he stands with the career that he loves.”

The pair were given community orders

'Pretty brave'

The Recorder of Cardiff, Judge Eleri Rees, said: “Watching the CCTV in the cold light of day is pretty shocking. You are in your mid 30s, you are trained soldiers – there should be a discipline there. You lost your temper.”

Speaking about the security official who tried to step in, the judge said: “Given the size of the defendants that was pretty brave, I thought, to try and intervene and calm things down.”

She added: “Both of you have given good service. That’s not a licence to go out when you are off duty and behave in this way – in fact quite the opposite.